Glitter and Be Gay: Uptown Players celebrates chosen family, queer joy, resilience, and rebellion in 2025-26 season

Lindsey Wilson·
Dallas/Ft WorthTheater
·

The theater produced by Uptown Players has always pulsed with a particular kind of energy that’s equal parts heart, wit, and daring. That pulse beats loud and clear in the Dallas theater company’s 2025-26 season, which promises a rich mix of irreverent comedy, powerful drama, and musical mayhem, all housed in the historic Kalita Humphreys Theater (with a stop at Theatre Three for good measure). Never content to play it safe, Uptown Players—Dallas’ premier LGBTQ+ theater—leans even deeper into bold storytelling, big personalities, and the complicated beauty of selecting those who deserve the honor of loving you, just as you are.

Executive producer Craig Lynch describes this season as one grounded in “chosen family, resilience, rebellion, and embracing your truest self—sometimes in a ball gown, sometimes with a protest sign.”

The company’s August co-production of IMAGINE will set exactly this tone. A first-ever collaboration between Uptown Players and Bruce Wood Dance Dallas, the show marries cabaret, contemporary movement, and live vocals into a celebratory and poignant evening. Set to songs like Elton John’s “Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart” and John Lennon’s “Imagine,” the show will deliver a series of vignettes exploring love, self-discovery, and LGBTQ+ identity through an emotional blend of choreography and music.

“IMAGINE is about more than just music and movement—it’s a celebration of the diverse experiences that shape who we are,” says Joy Bollinger, BWDD’s artistic director. “We are thrilled to bring our artists together and create something that speaks to the heart of our community.”

Directed by Clayton Younkin with musical arrangements by Adam C. Wright, and featuring performances by dancers from Bruce Wood Dance and Uptown favorites Peter DiCesare, Seth Paden, Brett Warner, and Kylie Stewart, IMAGINE will leave audiences inspired—and ready for more.

That balance of joy and defiance continues through the lineup, beginning with a glitter-drenched world premiere. From Dec. 5-14, 2025, Star of Wonder: A Carol Ann Christmas brings Carol Ann Knipple back to the stage in all her chaotic holiday glory. After the melodramatic demise of her Melody Barn theater, she’s hitting Dallas with songs, sequins, and more theatrical flair than ever. Micah Green reprises the beloved role in what promises to be a raucous and heartfelt holiday tradition reborn.

The chaos of chosen family and queer friendship is at the core of Pure Glitter, a new play by Chicken & Biscuits playwright Douglas Lyons that’s making its Texas premiere March 20-29, 2026. When Jeff Rane, Uptown’s co-founder, caught an early reading in New York, he knew immediately the script belonged in Dallas. Set during a 10th anniversary celebration that slowly unravels into something deeper, the show explores queer joy, long-held secrets, and the bonds that hold people together, even when things get messy. “It’s about community deserving to be celebrated louder than ever,” says Lynch. Expect big laughs and even bigger heart.

The season’s annual spring fundraiser, Broadway Our Way, takes on the theme “Fractured Fairy Tales” April 30-May 3, 2026. But don’t expect glass slippers and happily-ever-afters. This version trades tradition for sass, subversion, and a whole lot of—you guessed it—glitter. Written and directed by B.J. Cleveland, the production lets rogue royals, misunderstood witches, and princes who prefer heels rewrite their own endings with showtunes and spectacle. It’s Uptown at its most playful, proving that sometimes the most magical stories are the ones we rewrite ourselves.

Things take a darker but no less entertaining turn July 10-19, 2026, with Urinetown: The Musical, a whip-smart satire that skewers capitalism, environmental decay, and bureaucracy with gleeful absurdity. “It’s a great match for Uptown Players,” Lynch says. “It’s smart and subversive, and we’re looking forward to leaning into the comedy while reminding people how close fiction can feel to reality.” With its tongue firmly in cheek, Urinetown makes audiences laugh while subtly asking some very serious questions. It’s also sure to have Kalita audiences appreciating the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed restrooms in an entirely new light.

Closing out the season is Paula Vogel’s Mother Play, a powerful, semi-autobiographical drama exploring generational trauma, queerness, and survival. Set to run at Theatre Three Aug. 21-30, 2026, it’s a raw, intimate story that’s as unflinching as it is deeply human. It’s a striking counterpoint to the season’s more flamboyant fare, but one that resonates just as strongly.

Taken together, the 2025-26 season doesn’t just reflect Uptown Players’ ongoing commitment to LGBTQ+ voices—it amplifies them. From glittery satire to stripped-down drama, these productions shine a spotlight on the many ways identity can be explored, challenged, and celebrated onstage.

And if the momentum for IMAGINE is any indication, audiences are eager for this kind of work: joyous, fearless, and unapologetically human. If there’s one thing Dallas theatergoers have learned, it’s that when Uptown steps into the spotlight, you don’t want to miss the show.

—LINDSEY WILSON

Lindsey Wilson

Lindsey Wilson is a Dallas-based arts writer and critic with a journalism master's from Syracuse University and an undying love for chips and salsa. When not at the theater (which is rare), she enjoys reading, playing with her dogs, and traveling. Photo by Jeffrey Hummel.